Episode Report Card Gwen: C- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Robbie's in the Thicke of it
By Gwen | Season 5 | Episode 16 | Aired on 02.25.2001
Matt accosts Ruthie in her room. "The devil made me do it," she tells him. Shut up, Ruthie. Matt demands an apology. Ruthie doesn't think she did anything wrong. Matt lectures her about lying for a bit and then leaves. Mary calls to check on Ruthie. "I wanted to make sure you learned your lesson because I don't want you to end up in Buffalo like me," she says. That's so pathetic, I won't even bother to comment on it.
Annie tells Simon that his paper isn't his best work. She lectures him about working up to his potential. The phone rings. It's Lucy, begging for a ride home. Annie quickly tells Simon to start rewriting his paper. Then she puts on her superhero cape and flies off.
Robbie calls his mom and asks her who used to take him to the zoo. It was his uncle, not his dad. Robbie is chagrined. I sigh with relief because I took my kids to the zoo last month.
Lucy and Ashley leave the party with Annie. Serena chases after them. Ashley angrily gives her a big, fake speech. "I want a mother that yells at me when I'm late -- tells me to eat my vegetables -- go to bed!" She should have just said, "As a teenager, I need boundaries set in a loving yet firm way by my parent." That would have been just as realistic. ["And just as ripped off of Rayanne from My So-Called Life." -- Sars] Serena walks up to Annie and says, "You know, uh, just because you bake cookies and make lunches and drive a carpool does not make you better than me." Annie puts on her ugliest face ever and yells at Serena to grow up and be a real mother to Ashley. "How is your daughter supposed to learn how to be a mother, if you won't be a mother to her?" she asks. Well, I guess Serena could buy Ashley baby dolls and spank her when she doesn't act like a lady, right? Serena and Ashley trade "I love yous" and then go home to talk. Gee, it's a good thing Ashley didn't totally lose respect for her own mother after watching her get told off by Annie.
RevCam walks into the kitchen, and Robbie asks if his dad got to the bus stop okay. Yes, RevCam got rid of Ed. We learn that Robbie's brothers have been in Florida with their mom. Ed went to Florida and stole money from their mother and then used the brothers to pick up women at a bar. I had to laugh at the thought of such a scheme. Robbie babbles about wanting to believe that his father is a good person. Then he waxes poetic about what a forgiving, groovy guy RevCam is. RevCam hands him his deposit check. Robbie asks, "What exactly did I do to deserve you and your family?" More sap oozes from the scene. RevCam and Robbie give each other their "first hug." Yeah, right. If that's their first hug, I guess RevCam's not into afterplay cuddling.